Outlaw Star:Drakeem Sraconid of the Dragon
by Draco-Serpens
Summary: Drakeem Sraconid, possessor of the power of four ancient dragons, seeks the Galactic Leyline with the crew of the Outlaw Star. Rating to be safe. Romance for later chapters. JxA.
1. The Dragon: A Prelude

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This is my first written fanfic ever(and it naturally goes to follow that this is my first written OLS fic). Please R&R.

As another note, I only saw about four or five episodes of OLS when it was on Toonami, and all other knowledge I have of the show comes from what I've read in other OLS fanfics on this site. This means two thing: 1_. I don't know which things written by other fanfic authors about the history of characters and other things comes from their own minds and which come from the actual series; 2. If I take anyone's ideas about these things, it is a complete accident, and I would prefer that someone tells me so I can right my wrong and give credit where it is due._

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Legal Disclaimer: I don't own Outlaw Star, any of the characters from Outlaw Star, and I don't intend to claim ownership for anything but my one definably original character (Drakeem Sraconid) and the general ideas of this storyline.

Outlaw Star: Drakeem Sraconid of the Dragon

'by Draco Serpens'

Ch.1=The Dragon

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I sat in the bar, listening to the Ctarl Ctarl around me, pretending to get a little drunk so they would pay me no mind as I listened to them pass rumors and secrets around. They thought I was just a regular Terran. I certainly should have mastered the look after almost 400 years of working on it. 400 years. Wow, I've almost forgotten how long I used to think that was. Along with the thought comes the memory of why I've lived so long and am still so young.

flashback begins

"Docter Gren, are you certain that we should do this to such a.... young specimen?" 

_I looked out of the tank to see many people in lab coats hurriedly dashing around, preparing for what was about to be done to me. Two of the people I always assumed were in charge were arguing over me and if I was the right one for this._

"Of course we should. All the data says that he'll be the most strongly effected for our purposes. Besides, a young mind will be more pliable to our will."

"Yes, I know, but if it fails we won't ever get another shot. These four Tablets of the Dragon will disintegrate once we release their powers into the tank for him to absorb. We need more data before..."

"Yes. I understand, but if we follow that logic we'll never get to doing this. There's no guarantee that anyone this receptive will ever show up again. Sometimes, in science, we have to take risks."

_As I watched, the last man to speak turned to one of the technicians at the consoles and gave some kind of signal. I think it was the go-ahead. The four tablets in the four tanks around mine began to glow, each one a different color from the rest. The glow from the tablets seems to become a liquid, and flows from their tanks through tubes into my tank. As the glows pour into me, it feels as if I'm being torn apart from the inside out. Not being able to stand the pain at only ten years old, I blacked out._

flashback ends

_I'm jostled out of my flashback by the voice of the bartender, another Ctarl Ctarl._

"You want to share what's on your mind, Mr. Sraconid? Or maybe you'd like to get another one..."

_I thought for a moment before answering._ "No, just give me another one."

_He slid me another drink, just the kind I like. It looks like it packs more alcohol then it really does. The Ctarl Ctarls in the bar never look close enough to notice, though. All the easier to eavesdrop on them. Hmmm... They're still not talking about anything that interests me. I'll have to wait for them to drink enough to loosen there lips a little more. Where were my thoughts, again?_

Oh. The lab. I remember waking up, real bad memory. I just came to, and my conscious mind didn't know how to keep the human form with the power of the dragons in it, so I immediately changed into a dragon form. The room wasn't big enough, let alone the tank. As my body expanded, some of my scales pushed through and by a large condensed energy tank. The explosion that followed left nothing but a crater of the lab. I was unscathed.

I was also highly disoriented. My body moved in ways it couldn't before. In a confused daze, my wings took me to flight, and soon I left the atmosphereless moon, somehow holding my breath until I entered the atmosphere of the planet it was orbiting. It was then that I received a real shock.

I wasn't breathing - and I didn't need to at all. It was an amazing revelation. Unfortunately, it surprised me so much that I left my stupor- and my wings stopped flapping. It was only when I was about half-way down that I realized that I had to use my wings to slow the fall. Fortunately, I managed to prevent impact between me and the planet. Especially a good thing for the city I would have crashed into. It was a close call, though.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts by the nearby mention of a Terran name I know should ring a bell with me.

"Yeah, Gene Starwind and Aisha's other friends came home with her to visit. Aisha got homesick, y'know."

_That voice belongs to Kiros ClanClan, Aisha's uncle on her father's side. If he says it is so, then it must be true. Gene Starwind- his name rings a bell in my mind, and I pay the bartender what is due him before I head out._

I wander the streets, planning to eventually cross paths with Aisha's home before the night was through. Making a clean shot at it would have been too obvious for my style anyways. This way I can continue to reminisce while I walk.

It took me two years after my landing on that planet to learn how to take a more human form. In the meantime I had learned to fly through space, since I didn't need to breathe unless I wanted to talk and a spaceship would have cost too much anyways. I sort of took up bounty hunting to make money for food. Lunis, the light dragon part of me, insisted that we spread the ways of justice. Inanise, my dark dragon part, just wanted to rip apart their ships and kill them. Not them specifically, he would have been just as happy with innocent children. What can I say- he's evil. Brakren, having originally been a philosophical dragon, said that we shouldn't kill them because they might yet serve some greater good for the universe. Brakren always thinks deeply about all the decisions we make. Sometimes, though, I think he thinks too much and acts too late. Korta, the dragon of power, is my dominant personality after the split. He's the relatively innocent one, doesn't like killing or doing anything disturbing because it just isn't like him.

The original memory of the four dragons was lost when they put their power into the four tablets, but their way of thinking wasn't. When they entered me, the contrast between them kept them as seperate parts of my personality. All the evil of my heart went into Inanise, all the sense of justice went into Lunis, all the deep thoughts went into Brakren, but because I lacked the lust for power that the original Korta had, he became my innocence. All the remaining traits sort of remained common ground for the four. Yet, I lost all my memories of anything before the operation before they entered me.

It always amazes me, how much I've longed to remember again those first ten years of my life even though I've lived 40 times that time since then. It's like my meaning, my purpose in life, is contained in those ten years. Or maybe I just want to see my parents. Know that they loved me. Once upon a time...

I pushed the thoughts aside, reminding myself that the evil of Inanise only draws more strength from my pain. I pushed ahead in my memories to try and take my mind off of such sentimental thoughts. I thought about when I trained in the arts of Tao magic, eventually becoming greater at it than anyone else alive. Only because I've lived so long and Brakren's analysis yielded more and more good ideas. Eventually, I learned how to build castors and castor shells. I've got castor shells I made with my dragons' powers. Their the most powerful in the universe. Eventually, I developed an immunity to the effects of all castor shells, including the ones that just sort of suck you up.

Because of my great power, the humans, who at the time I lived amongst, asked for my aid in their war against the Ctarl Ctarl. For a brief time, I did. Until I realized that the Ctarl Ctarl were just like me in some ways. Then I just left the battlefields and planet-hopped. On one planet I made a very good friend.

Until we both fell in love with the same girl. I got her heart first, and she was dating me. I didn't know why she suddenly left me for him- until I heard the rumor. My 'friend' had apparently been passing word to my girlfriend that I had been cheating on her. When he used his photography skills to alter some photos of me to prove it, she left me for someone who she thought was more honorable- him.

Inanise might not care about anyone else, but his link with me made him feel my pain, and he knew where my rage was aimed. He took over, overwhelming me and taking control of my body. Then it became his body, his human form. He killed both of them. I didn't mean for that to happen, I didn't want it to happen. It was like being tied up in the first mate's chair and watching an usurper in the captain's chair, ruthlessly shooting down your family's ship. It was so much pain... 

"Yo! Get out of my way, puny Terran!"

_I let the large Ctarl Ctarl toss me to the side, and I took to the landing like it hurt. Showing off my power when I was in human form would have made it difficult to continue the guise of being a mere Terran here. Still, after thinking about such an emotionally painful event, it was very tempting to fight back. I even thought I felt Inanise stir from his sleep within me. I calmed myself while I feigned injury._

After he had passed me, I got up, deciding to head towards the ClanClan residence a little more directly. As I walked, I tried to remember why I came to the Ctarl Ctarl home planet to live after I was able to look fully Terran. I remember wanting to be with people who could possibly understand me and my power to transform, but I don't know why. I didn't want friends anymore.

Friends were a problem when you were going to live as long as I was. Even if nothing unnatural killed them, they would still die with time. I on the other hand, had been around for 400 years(+10) and had only aged eight years. Here I was, invulnerable, invincible, practically immortal, yet I cowered in fear at the loss of friends, a loss that I only saw one way to protect myself from- don't get friends, don't lose friends.

I finally stood at the door the ClanClan residence. It had been a while since I last visited this unusually friendly family. I hope they still remember me. They should. It's been less than a year.

Before I can raise my fist to knock, Mrs. ClanClan opens the door. She must have heard my approach. She smiled at me in her friendly manner.

"Hello, Mr. Sraconid. It has been quite a while since you've came for a visit. Rella will be very pleased to see you again."

_On the inside I winced, thinking of the girl with such a crush on me. Although, I should be rightfully calling her a woman. She was both old enough and mature enough to deserve it. I hid the wince behind a smile when I spoke._

"It would please me to see her as well, but I need to know something. To be honest, earlier I overheard a conversation in which it was mentioned that a certain Terran was visiting here. Tell me, please, is Gene Starwind here?"

"Yeah, he is. Who wants to know?" the voice came from behind Mrs. ClanClan. It was a Terran voice.

_As soon as she stepped to the side, I saw him. And I suddenly remembered why the name of Gene Starwind was so familiar. He had made it to the Galactic Leyline and back out with his crew. I smiled as warmly as I could at him as I stepped in._

"Mr. Starwind, I hear you're an outlaw, a man for hire with one of the best crews in the galaxy. There is a business proposition I have to make, something only you could possibly help me with."

"Why is that?"

_He looks skeptical. Best to be completely honest with him._

"It has to do with the Galactic Leyline."

_I spoke it softly, but the effect it had on those within earshot was so great you'd think I must have shouted it. Mrs. ClanClan stood with a look of shock on her face, Gene had taken a step back with surprise engraved in his body language, and Rella nearly tripped over herself in the middle of running towards me. I put on my business face and got ready to push forward with my newly forming plan._

=to be Continued...=

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Yeah, I know first-person POV isn't too popular. I don't plan on making the chapters that follow in the first person (unless those who review ask me to continue like this). If anyone knows of a website with more information on the OLS series, please let me know. Also, let me know if I'm doing something that cannot be done in the OLS universe or if the characters from the series become OOC. Thanks for reading and please review. I need your input to get better at this.


	2. Honest Revelations

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Legal Disclaimer: I don't own Outlaw Star, any of the characters from Outlaw Star, and I don't intend to claim ownership for anything but my one definably original character (Drakeem Sraconid) and the general ideas of this storyline.

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I'm thankful for the few reviews I've received so far, and I hope this next chapter meets up to the expectations of everyone who read the first. If it doesn't exceed them that is.

Outlaw Star: Drakeem Sraconid of the Dragon

'by Draco Serpens'

Chapter 2=Honest Revelations

Just as Drakeem was about to push forward with his business proposal, Aisha ClanClan entered the room and loudly said, "Grandma! I'm hungry! When's our food gonna be ready?"

Mrs. ClanClan blinked several times, then said "Aisha and Rella, go set the table. The food is all ready." She looked at Drakeem. "And set one extra place for Drakeem."

Drakeem gave the friendliest smile he could to Mrs. ClanClan as he slowly walked past her towards the dining room.

"It will be interesting to hear your proposal for my granddaughter's friends over dinner."

Drakeem sighed inwardly. He knew that tone of voice from Mrs. ClanClan meant she was telling him to, not asking. Externally, he kept up the act. "I'll do my best to keep it interesting."

*********

Unfortunately, Drakeem had to wait until after the meal to say anything to Gene Starwind, or anyone else for that matter. No one could hear him over the sound of Aisha's eating. So everyone who was there, Gene, Melfina, Suzuka, Jim, Aisha, Rella, and Mrs. ClanClan, sat in the living room after the meal so they could all hear Drakeem's proposition.

\\ I can't really rely on momentum or surprise anymore to get my proposition to them, so I may have to do this the difficult way. //

Mrs. ClanClan interrupted Drakeem's silent thoughts with a suggestion. "It seems to me that the board is unbalanced, Drakeem. You know secrets about them and they know nothing about you. Perhaps you should tell them something to . . . even things a bit."

"Yeah. I never get tired of learning something new about my sweetie," Rella purred. Her arms were around Drakeem's neck from where she stood behind him, leaning down.

"I was thinking something similar to that line of thought, Mrs. ClanClan." Drakeem shuddered. Not so much at the thought of telling them one of his secrets as it was at the tickle of Rella sniffing the back of his neck, inconspicuously, to see if he had been with anyone else recently. He supposed it was a decent suspicion given that she hadn't seen him for about a month.

\\ I can tell them a few secrets. If they agree they'll find out eventually, anyways. //

\\ Or I could just kill them afterwards... //

\\ Inanise? //

\\ Yeah? //

\\ Shut up... //

"WHAT THE ... !" Gene sat there, mouth agape staring at Drakeem's eyes. Everyone else seemed to be doing the same except for Mrs. ClanClan, who merely looked intrigued, and Rella, who hadn't noticed what startled everyone else.

Drakeem's thoughts were instantly pulled back into reality by the startled exclamation, and a sensation in his eyes instantly told him what was wrong. During the inner conversation, his eyes had shifted to his draconic version, and had shifted between the voices of the dragons to match the speakers. Red and black for Inanise, gold and blue for Korta.

\\ Well, that saves me from needing to come up with a good way to introduce the topic in question. //

" For starters," Mrs. ClanClan stated, " you can tell us all how your eyes can do that."

"To start off, I'd like to recommend that Rella sit down." Rella leaped over the back of the loveseat and sat next to Drakeem, an arm around him, and her hand resting on his opposite shoulder. Drakeem would have liked to squirm, but he wanted to look calm at that moment.

"That's better. Now then, first off, you have to understand that I'm not a Terran."

"Then what are you?" Rella asked, looking at him and blinking.

"I'm a dragon. A draconis." Drakeem smiled. "A drakon."

"But dragons were just mythological gigantic reptiles." Jim said, a skeptical look on his face.

"I see that your information is limited." Drakeem said, standing up so as to stand in the middle of them. "Besides, you didn't let me finish."

"I wasn't born a dragon. At about the age of ten, I was put in a tank where the power of the Four Tablets of Dragon was invested in me. After that, it took me a long time to figure out how to perfectly change into a human form. Fortunately, I've had plenty of time to learn."

"What do you mean by that?" Aisha asked.

"It has been 400 years since I became a dragon. In that time, my body has only aged 8."

"That seems highly... unbelievable." Jim said, still a skeptic.

"I can understand your skepticism, and proving my age is impossible without taking a very long time. However, I can prove that I am both invulnerable and inhumanly strong. And, if you wish, I can change into one of my dragon forms." Drakeem looked around for a couple seconds. "Although this house doesn't have a large enough room to contain it."

"How you gonna prove you're invulnerable, huh?" Aisha asked, giving Drakeem a cocky grin.

"By letting you 'try' to beat the snot out of me."

*********

Drakeem smiled at his opponent across the makeshift ring that had been set up in the backyard of the ClanClan residence. Aisha sneered back at him. "Anything goes, as far as what you are allowed to do, Aisha. Weapons, below the belt, buffed up, or whatever else you can think of. Only one rule. You have sixty seconds to do it all."

"I almost feel sorry for you, Drakeem. But you asked for it."

Rella was pacing behind Drakeem's side of the ring, nervousness in all her features as she looked on.

"What are the chances that he's actually not bluffing?" Jim whispered to Gene.

"Wouldn't be the weirdest thing that's ever happened to us."

Mrs. ClanClan rang the bell that started the fight.

*********

Everyone, for the second time that day, stood with mouths agape. Mrs. ClanClan was so surprised that she almost forgot to ring for the end of the fight.

Aisha had started with some punches and kicks. When that didn't effect Drakeem, she kneed him as hard as she could in the groin. It still didn't effect him. She buffed up, and did it all over again. In the last ten seconds, she grabbed Gene's castor and shot it at Drakeem before Gene or Jim could protest. A number three castor shell was loaded.

The blast hit Drakeem square in the face, and suddenly dirt exploded everywhere. When the dust cleared, Drakeem stood there still. "I'm also immune to the powers behind castor shells."

Several seconds later the ring of Mrs. ClanClan's bell was heard.

*********

Everyone was sitting in the living room again, and they all seemed uncomfortable for several seconds before Jim spoke.

"Mr. Drakeem, why would someone who's nearly immortal and invincible like you want with the Galactic Ley Line?"

"I'll start off with saying that immortality isn't all it's cracked up to be. Jim, if you were to suddenly become like me, how would you feel when your friends grew old and died while you stayed young?"

"Terrible, I guess."

"But you'd eventually meet and make new friends, right?"

"Well, yeah."

"And what happens when they grow old and die? And the ones after them, and after them, and after them? See what I'm getting to?"

"I think I see where you're coming from." Melphina suddenly said.

"Eventually, I'll wind up either going insane from overwhelming pain," \\ and Inanise's taint// "or I'd keep my sanity by becoming cold to the world. Even then, that would make me a ruthless creature."

"So what do you want with the Ley line again?"

"I want to reclaim my mortality... or at least find out a way to do it."

"Given that if we don't do this there'll eventually be an insane or ruthless dragon terrorizing the universe and that you'll be paying us ... how much again for helping you?" Gene said.

"Seventeen and a half million wong."

"WHAT?!" the group seemed to jump out of their seats.

"We'll take the job!" Gene said, and hastily shook Drakeem's extended hand. Drakeem's business-like smile, which he had kept on through most of this ordeal, grew warmer and wider at the answer.

*********

The Outlaw Star crew stood at the door, getting ready to go out to the Outlaw Star. The only one not already there was Aisha, who was still getting her things repacked.

"C'mon already, Aisha, or we're going to leave without you!" Gene screamed towards Aisha's room.

"You're not leaving without me!" Aisha said, running towards them, leaping down to the first level over the railings.

"You know, why exactly are we taking you with anyways?!" Gene yelled at her, frustrated that they weren't yet on their way to making 17 and 1/2 million wong.

"What?! You'd be nowhere without me, Gene." Aisha growled.

"We don't need you anymore. We've got a dragon who's invincible, self-controlled, and food-conservative. He can take over your place on the bridge, and if he doesn't know how to operate a grappler, he can probably learn pretty fast."

"How dare you. HOW DARE YOU! I'm a C'tarl C'tarl, an immortal, a model of discipline, and I never eat more than my fair share of -- Grandma, let me go! I'm going with them!" Aisha had been right in Gene's face until her Mrs. ClanClan began pulling her back in an arm hold.

"Aisha, why would you even want to go with such an insulting, inconsiderate Terran as your captain? You could have a lot better than --" Mrs. ClanClan was saying as she drug Aisha back.

"CAUSE I LOVE JIMMY AND DON'T WANNA LOSE HIM TO SOMEONE ELSE WHile he's off..." Aisha calmed her voice as she realized just how loudly she was exclaiming her secret reason for sticking with the Outlaw Star crew for this long in the first place.

Sazuka caught Jim just before he hit the ground, then a small smile crept across her face as she looked knowingly at Aisha, an 'I knew all along' smile.

Gene, for the fourth time since Drakeem showed up, was taken completely aback. His mouth open, a step back, arms half-tensed at his sides. 

Melphina smiles widely, then hugs Gene and says, "This is so wonderful. Doesn't it just remind you of when we finally admitted our feelings to each other? Gene?" Melphina looked up at him, as he absent-mindedly nodded his head. "So she can come with us, then."

Gene snapped out of his trance instantly. "But ... Uh ... Mmmm ... I ..." He looked down at Melphina, who simply gave him 'the look.' "Of course she can." He smiled defeatedly.

"If you want to win his heart," Mrs. ClanClan whispered in her granddaughter's ear, "you better make a move before another girl comes along and does so."

"If Aisha can come along for Jimmy, then I can come along for Drakeem!" Rella exclaimed.

"I'll give you five minutes to get packed." That was all Gene said.

*********

As Gene walked out the door with his crew, he silently cursed himself for not making it four minutes instead.

=to be Continued...=

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Yeah, I like the AishaXJim fics. Please continue to R&R. Even if you don't like A/J fics, keep reading. I don't make them such a big deal that it dominates the fic, but there should be enough there to satisfy most of the readers who do like A/J romances. I hope. On both counts.

For those who were wondering about the multiple words used for 'dragon' by Drakeem, 'draconis' is the Latin masculine for dragon, and 'drakon' is the Hebrew for dragon. As for the name, Drakeem Sraconid, drakeem is the Hebrew for 'dragon of', and 'sraconid' is 'draconis' with the first and last letters switched. Roughly translated, Drakeem Sraconid means 'dragon of dragons.' The translation of these words is based on two books I have: The New College Latin & English Dictionary , and Webster's NewWorld Hebrew Dictionary.

In the next chapter... How is the Outlaw Star crew going to deal with the fact that Melphina is no longer Maiden of the Ley Line? How are they going to find the Ley Line? What will happen when the crew finds out about the four minds of Drakeem Sraconid?


	3. The Long Way There

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Legal Disclaimer: I don't own Outlaw Star, any of the characters from Outlaw Star, and I don't intend to claim ownership for anything but my one definably original character (Drakeem Sraconid) and the general ideas of this storyline.

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I know it's been awhile, but I've had other things that needed taken care of. Like college, family problems, and personal issues. Not to mention writer's block. Of course, most people probably haven't read the first two chapters until just before reading this. Either that or they didn't review. Please, review. You can do it anonymously if you want. Just read and review.

Outlaw Star: Drakeem Sraconid of the Dragon

'by Draco Serpens'

Chapter 3=The Long Way There

Aisha ClanClan carried Jim in her arms while at the same time carrying her and Jim's bags in her hands as she walked with the others towards the docking area where the Outlaw Star was kept. Jim was still unconscious, and Aisha was trying to cuddle him despite this and despite her full hands. Gene had recovered nicely from the initial surprise, but was keeping his eyes away from the two to avoid any aftershock effects (including nausea). 

Drakeem noticed this and picked up his pace to catch up with Gene. "What's wrong, Starwind?"

"Nothing," was Gene's response.

Drakeem frowned. _Something's wrong. He was hardly this introverted earlier. Not the type of individual to give one word answers if everything's looking up for him. I may have to do something to get a more honest answer from him._

Drakeem would have done so, except that his question and Gene's response had attracted everyone else's attention. _Which means they get to do the prying for me._ Drakeem slowed his walk until he was back closer to Rella so the others would approach Gene unhindered.

Melfina was the first to approach Gene, a concerned look on her face. "Gene... something is wrong, I can tell. Why don't you tell me about it?"

Drakeem smiled secretively as Gene once again crumbled to 'the look.'

Gene sighed, then returned Melfina's hug. He spoke quietly, but the only person who really couldn't hear him was the unconscious Jim. "The whole thing with Aisha and Jim... it just makes me sick..."

"What do you mean SICK?!" Aisha hissed at him, holding Jim tighter defensively.

Aisha and Rella glared at Gene, Melfina looked confused, Suzuka maintained an indifferent look, Drakeem looked curious for a moment before he figured it out, and Jim didn't react (obviously because he's unconscious). Drakeem, having guessed what was coming next, zoned out and began thinking about other things.

"Aisha, look at you two! Does it even occur to you how much younger than you he is?" Gene snapped at her, and the group stopped walking to let the fight work its way out.

"Hmph! You're one to talk. Melfina's a bio-android, so she was hyper-aged up to maturity. She might be eight years old at the most!" Aisha snarled back at him.

"Leave Melfina out of this!"

"Why should I? Why don't YOU leave Jim and me be, Gene. Even though Jimmy's young, he's a lot more mature than you are."

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\\I'll vouch for that.\\ Jimmy thought.

"Even if I overlook Jimmy's age for his maturity, there's still the fact that you're a *great* Ctarl Ctarl and Jim's a *lowly* Terran. Isn't that how you put it? Huh?"

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\\Gene knows he's losing. He'll do anything to win something from this argument. Even if it is Aisha recanting her degrading of Terrans.\\ Jim felt Aisha hold him tighter again before she responded.

"Jim's incapable of being *lowly*, Gene. He's too good to be brought down by his species. Suzu's the same way for different reasons."

Suzuka looked about to say something about her name being shortened yet again, but she decided that she would fare better waiting for another day to wage that battle.

"You, Gene, you were lowly. If not for the ways Jim and Melfina have changed you, you still would be." Aisha was smirking, confident of her victory.

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Jim did his best to keep from blushing, smiling, and laughing at this. Fortunately for him and his facade, everyone was paying the argument too much mind to notice what he couldn't contain.

"So what's so great about Jim?"

"Wh-what?" Aisha stammered, taken aback.

"You heard me. What do you like so much about him? I'm not going to let you just take up with my partner if this is just something based on *heat*."

Aisha stared at Jim for a moment, curiosity etched on her face. Drakeem noticed that it seemed she had suddenly become aware of the signs that Jim wasn't fully unconscious. Instead of saying anything about that, she snapped up her head at Gene's snort and responded, almost angrily, to his question.

"Not only is Jimmy a cute genius, he's kind, sensitive, honest, hardworking, self-sacrificing, loyal, brave, and he's been the best friend I've ever had." Aisha growled the words at Gene.

"Excuse me..." Rella started.

"With the exception of family." Aisha said.

"Thank you." Rella finished.

Drakeem took all this in interestedly, since he figured he may well have to spend quite some time with the crew waiting to get to the Galctic Leyline._ I may as well get to know these people. To be fair, I ought to remind them of something... which will conveniently change the subject._

"To change the subject to something altogether different, and thus prevent any further unnecessary argument, in regards to the whole business deal I should remind you that the 17 and a half million wong will not be paid until you have completed the task I set." Drakeem said.

"We expect as much." Suzuka said.

"I figured you did, but I would like to ask how you intend to support yourselves while searching out the location of the Galactic Leyline. I won't be loaning you any money off of what I'll pay you later, and I only intend to pay for my fair share of room and board."

The group was silent for a moment, then Gene grunted, "a true businessman. We'll do what we always do- bounty hunt for cash. However, when we get back to the Outlaw Star, I want Jim to check out your account information to make sure you have enough to pay us when the time comes."

"I have absolutely no problem with that, Mr. Starwind." Drakeem smiled. "In fact, I would be disappointed if you failed to conduct that very basic matter of business. However, I have my account information on hand, so take a look for yourself." _Given that Jimmy is still faking unconsciousness and will probably have to explain to Aisha WHY he was later, he won't be available to check my account later anyway._

Gene took a look at the account's numbers, paused, looked at them again, and blurted out "YOU HAVE 350 MILLION WONG IN YOUR ACCOUNT?!"

Everybody else on the street took an interest, and one C'tarl C'tarl man shoved his way past Sazuka to get a look at the figures to be certain he heard right. Even with C'tarl C'tarl hearing, he couldn't believe his ears. He looked down at the account info, up at Drakeem, back at the info, and then he snarled. "Drakeem, I know there's no way you could honestly make that much money at your age. No Terran could. You've been on our planet for several years, and I want to know right now what you've been doing here while we failed to pay attention to you. What did you steal, and who did you steal it from? Who'd you kill to make that much money?"

Drakeem looked at the man, brimming with aggression, and he was about to answer when he felt his mind slipping from Korta to Lunis. His body and eyes shifted forms as his mind did, and in the place of the young man stood a much older, but also much stouter, man. The crowds on the street gaped, then they disappeared in a flurry of activity. "Sheriff Clout, I understand your concern on this matter. Maybe it would help if I told you that I'm much older than I look. And not as Terran as I seem."

Sheriff Clout stood there, uncertain of what he had just seen. The crew of the Outlaw Star and Rella did the same. Finally regaining his ability to speak, Clout muttered, "I... uh... well, y'know... sorry." He turned and walked off, still wondering exactly where his day went weird.

As the situation changed, Drakeem's mind slipped back from Lunis to Korta. His body followed the transition again, and for a moment his face was blank. After that, he blinked, then turned to Rella and said, "I suppose more explaining is necessary, yes?"

"You'd better believe it." Rella said.

The crew of the Outlaw Star seconded that. Save for the still acting Jim.

"Let's save it for when we get to the ship and can sit down for a good discussion." Drakeem said. "So, shall we continue forward?"

===================================================

At the Outlaw Star, the crew and it's two additions stopped and were checked over by their new Gilliam security droid. "Gene, who are these two?"

"They're two semi-temporary additions to the crew."

"Semi-temporary, Gene?"

"They may be staying with us for a while. This one is Drakeem Sraconid," Gene indicated Drakeem by shrugging his shoulder towards him, "and this is Aisha's sister, Rella."

"Pleased to meet the two of you. I trust that Jim will fill you in on the basic security here when he gets the opportunity."

The doors to the Outlaw Star's interior opened to them, and the full crew (Drakeem and Rella included) entered the doorway.

Immediately, Melfina headed to the kitchen to prepare it for their new additions, and after a moment's pause, Gene followed behind her. Aisha took Jim off to his bedroom to lay him down. Which left Suzuka to show Rella and Drakeem around the ship.

She started off by taking them to the bridge, took the long way around to the cargo hold, and went by the crewmember's rooms. She then took them to the new section of the expanded Outlaw Star. Several locked doors were in this hall.

"This is the new storage area for personal items of the crew that are too 'fragile' for the cargo bay. Meaning that Gene uses his for his private stockpile of alcohol."

"I see." Drakeem said.

"Say, Suzu..." Rella said.

For a moment, Suzuka considered fighting it out over the proper way to say her name for the second time that day. But then, she decided that as long as Aisha did it, it would be pointless to ask Rella not to. "What is it?"

"Where are we supposed to sleep?" Rella asked.

"Each of these rooms belongs to one of the crew members here. Since neither Melfina nor I tends to get attached to material possessions, our belongings are small enough to be kept in our bedrooms. So we'll give you some spare mats to use for beds and you can sleep in our storage rooms."

Rella blinked. "We'll be sleeping in storage?"

"It's not as bad as it sounds. The storage rooms were made to serve as emergency guest rooms with electricity, lights, temperature control, all the things a real room has except furnishings."

The tour then continued on until the three of them reached the kitchen, where Aisha had joined Melfina and Gene. Much to Gene's annoyance. "Why'd we have to get stuck with that feline food-vacuum?"

Aisha's only response was a snicker. She knew Gene was just sore over the debate on Jim and her, and she knew it would only annoy him more if she didn't retort to give him the chance to win back his self-pride in a verbal sparring match.

As Suzuka, Rella, and Drakeem entered, Melfina turned to greet them with her usual hospitality. She offered both Rella and Drakeem two chairs opposite each other at the table, and Rella plopped into hers. Suzuka took her usual seat. Jim's seat remained empty.

Drakeem sat in the chair offered to him by Melfina, and immediately noticed Rella staring straight into his eyes, completely serious, demanding he jump straight what they all wondered about. He sighed, and took a deep breath to speak.

"Tell us about what happened earlier," Rella said.

Gene turned to her. "Shouldn't we wait for Jim?"

"I'll tell him later," Aisha said.

"I bet you will..." Gene muttered.

Aisha screeched. "What?"

"Enough!" Rella shouted. Silence. "Now tell us, my Drakeem."

Having effortlessly held his breath through all of this, Drakeem immediately started speaking. "I should tell you that I have not one mind in my head but, rather, four. Furthermore, each has its own personality, way of thinking, powers, and forms, the last of which you bore witness to on the way here. The four minds originated from the four dragons which were sealed into my body."

"How were these dragons 'sealed' into your body?" Suzuka asked.

"Well, the basic gist of it is that each of these dragons sealed their body's power and their general way of thinking into a tablet. These four tablets came to be collectively known as the 'Four Tablets of Dragon.' Not an original name, was it? But regardless of the name, some scientists discovered a way to imbue these things into a Terran, and specifically they realized I was their best bet at a success." Drakeem shifted his weight and looked purposefully at each of them.

"What is it?" Rella asked.

"What I say next cannot leave this room, save to tell Jim."

"Why not?" Suzuka asked. Gene looked suspicious.

"I can't explain it without telling you too much, but that is the way it is. The way it must be."

One by one they all agreed, Melfina last.

"Okay, After they sealed the four tablets within me, I lost consciousness for a while. Originally, I thought it was because of the pain of the procedure, but I now understand it was because my consciousness- my mind, my spirit, my very soul- was being divided by four very different mentalities. Each carried its memory of its original name, as well as its way of thinking."

"What were their names?" Melfina asked. "And how did they divide your mind?"

"Well... there was Lunis, Dragon of the Light. He was responsible for becoming the part of me that desires justice, order, rightness. Don't get me wrong, he has his faults. He doesn't care who he steps on to get justice done. Then there was his 'pupil,' if you will, Brakren. He took charge of the wondering, the learning, the curious parts of my mind. He's very wise and good, but he seems to think too much and act too little, sometimes." For several minutes, Drakeem sat in silence. _How best to tell them about **him**?_

Rella got fed up with waiting. "Well?"

"Hmm?"

"What about the other two? You said there were four," she spat.

"Yes... I suppose the best way is to just go straight to the core of him. Inanise took over... my evil side. He concentrated it to the point that he once again was pure evil. He even took my desire for power. Which meant that his former 'pupil,' Korta, wasn't able to claim his main negative personality traits for me. The result of which was him becoming good. A fact for which we can all be thankful, as he's the one who's out most often. In fact, he's me." Drakeem sat uncomfortably in his chair, reading their faces one at a time. _Was it the right thing to tell them all that?_ _Don't have much of a choice if I want their help._

"How often does Inanise make his... appearances?" Aisha glared at him closely.

"Not often directly. He's only taken control four times in the last 400 years and for a total of eight minutes tops. It was terrible, though. He only comes out when I experience extensive emotional pain."

"Why would anything so evil protect anyone else?" Gene asked. "It doesn't make any sense."

"He's not protecting me. He's protecting himself. Because of our connected memory, all of us experience the pain or joy of the others as if it were our own. Inanise didn't feel pain before, so when he gets really hurt, he gets enraged and takes control to get rid of the source of the pain. Once the source of pain is gone, he doesn't have the emotional edge to keep control."

"What do you mean? If he's one of four parts, it shouldn't be so hard for him to keep control," Melfina said.

"Alright, listen. Lunis is of equal power to Inanise unless Inanise gets spurned on by anger over emotional pains and stresses. Brakren aids Lunis, thus preventing Inanise from taking control over the lesser pains of life. Korta, who was once evil, was made innocent by not being able to gain any evil personality traits from me because Inanise had already taken them all. Korta is the Dragon of Power, and as long as he isn't distracted by emotional trauma, he has more than enough raw power to stop Inanise from taking control."

"So... the table is lopsided in favor of good because Inanise took all the evil traits and left none for Korta?" Rella asked.

Drakeem nodded. "Yep. That's the way it is."

"It's true. Irony does abound in life." Suzuka said.

"Huh?" Gene was left confused.

"Inanise went for more and got less," Melfina explained.

"Oh, right. I knew that."

Everybody looked at Gene.

"What?"

While Gene was defending himself from Suzuka's speculations and Rella's insults, Aisha silently left the room. _Now that that is taken care of, I have to speak with Jimmy about a certain something._

=======================================

Aisha tiptoed up to the door and peered around the corner, spying Jim up and about. She silently stepped into the room and announced her presence with, "Feigned unconsciousness doesn't take long to recover, huh Jimmy?"

Jim's feet practically left his shoes. He then slowly turned to look at Aisha. "Uh... hi, Aisha."

"You know, I don't know what that pretending to be out when you knew what was going on was all about, but first of all..." She looked at Jim, who was blushing and looking away with the embarrassment of being chastised and deserving it. Aisha immediately wondered what exactly to say to get back on course with what she had planned for this conversation back when she first realized that she had fallen for Jimmy. A little inspiration later, and she knew what to say, "...first of all, how do you feel about me?"

Jim's blush became several shades darker right away as he stuttered out, "W-w-what?"

"You've got the advantage. You not only know how I feel about you, but you listened in and found out why, too. I've got my heart on the line, so are you gonna put yours down too or should I just take mine back?"

"I, uh... I-I um... I feel the same way you do, Aisha."

Aisha shook her head. "If you do, then just say it."

"Uh... I-i love ..."

"C'mon. Blurt it out if you believe it."

"I... I love you too, Aisha!"

At that moment, Gene passed by the door, supporting himself with Melfina's help. He was on his way to his room from the fight with Rella (at the end of the verbal part of which he had made an especially vulgar comment about female C'tarl C'tarls, thus causing Rella to start the physical part of it), but the sudden outburst from Jim caused him to change course for the bathroom. As Melfina helped Gene to the door, Jim heard her mutter something about 'always overreacting.'

Aisha of course heard the whole thing, but she wasn't listening. Finding himself the victim of one of Aisha's strongest death-hugs, Jim wasn't paying much mind to exactly what Melfina said. At that point, he was trying to conserve as much oxygen as possible for his brain until he regained his ability to breathe and hoping that nothing would break.

As Aisha let up and Jim gasped for breath, Melfina paused at the doorway. "I'm glad you two finally chose to come out with each other on your feelings. I was getting unusually tired of waiting for one of you to do or say something before it was too late."

Aisha said, "Thanks, Mel," with that big grin on her face. Jim just managed a nod and barely a smile through his attempts to get his breath back.

After about another minute like this, Jim finally caught enough breath to speak, so Aisha decided it was time to go ahead and get what else she wanted to know from him. "Jimmy, now that you've said how you feel, you gotta tell me what you love about me. Even for even, and then some for eavesdropping."

Despite the relative lack of oxygen in his blood at that moment, Jim's face managed to pull up yet another blush.

Jim stuttered for a moment. Aisha bent down, until she was nose-to-nose with him, and said in a voice softer and more loving than Jim had ever heard her use, "Tell me."

"You're you, Aisha. I don't see what's not to love."

"Then tell me what you do see." That voice again, sending shivers up Jim's spine.

"You're strong, honest even when it hurts, braver than any of us, and you care enough to worry over me. Your loyal enough that you'd die for any one of us, even that bonehead Gene, and you work hard to try and ease my burdens, willing even to take a low job as a dishwasher to pay some of the food bills for me. You seem to bubble with life like no one else I've ever met, and you always felt closer to me than any friend could." Jimmy let the words flow out of him, wondering at where some of them had come from, but astonished at the truth they all carried - a truth he hadn't even been aware of until earlier this day.

"And..." Aisha spoke in that same voice, but now it was breathless, and tears were brimming her eyes.

Jim knew what she wanted him to save for last, and since he felt it was true, he said it. "You're cute too."

The hug that followed was different than any he had ever shared - especially with Aisha. It wasn't one of her death-crushes. It was gentle enough to breathe in, but was tight enough and fierce enough that he could feel the heart behind it. And for the first time Jim could remember, he hugged Aisha back.

=to be Continued...=

__

Once again I apologize for not posting sooner, but it took me a while to figure out a solution to this little problem I've been having. You see, I want to explore both the JimXAisha story and the Drakeem Sraconid with Outlaw Star crew story, but I made a promise to not focus too much on the JimXAisha side. This causes problems when I feel like writing JimXAisha stories, as I try to force the other side of the story out of me and wind up with nothing, resulting in a so-called "writer's block."

The solution is simple - from now on, unless I get reviews to this chapter asking for otherwise, the JimXAisha parts of the story will have their own chapters in a 'separate' story I create for those who want to read that side of the story here and the Drakeem side of the story will be written in this story. Each story will definitely make reference to and effect the other, since they are just two different focuses on the same story, but this one will retain more of the linear-time held to it, while the JimXAisha will have gaps in time between chapters as they spend time in this story and away from the focus of theirs.

Now that I'm done explaining that, I'm going to state what few are aware of - my little brother, who chose the penname 'Brother of Serpens', is working on the first chapter of his first OLS fan-fic. Like me, he enjoys JimXAisha fics and prefers that he writes one. Unlike me, however, he enjoys writing Angst fics. I only like reading them a little. Just thought I would let everyone who actually reads this far know that when they see the penname of 'Brother of Serpens', it's a reference to my penname and he is actually my brother. Now I just hope he doesn't do anything to embarrass me terribly in those fics.

One last thing- REVIEW! Please?... And thank you again to those who have reviewed on my last two chapters.


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